Dogs of any age and breed can get cataracts, which means the lens of the eye has clouded over. Cataracts can have a number of causes, including your dog’s genetics, diabetes, and trauma to the eye. Over time, they can grow from the size of a small pinprick to cloudiness that covers the entire lens and causes vision loss.
Without a doubt, the thought of your dog losing their vision may be a little scary. But many dogs do live comfortably with cataracts for many years. What’s more, choosing an elective cataract procedure as early as possible may help restore your dog’s vision and prevent ongoing complications, like glaucoma.
“If your dog is a good candidate for cataract surgery and surgery is financially feasible, it’s certainly worth it,” says Dr Casey Robinson, area medical director for IndeVets. The cost of this surgery may range from £3,000 to £6,000, depending on a number of factors.
Below, we’ll explain everything you need to know about canine cataracts, including the main types, how to spot them, and how to determine if surgery is the right choice for your dog.
Can Cataracts Cause Blindness In Dogs?
As cataracts develop, they can cause partial or complete blindness.
Vision loss happens when the cloudiness of the lens prevents light from reaching the retina at the back of the eye. The larger the cataract, the less vision your dog will have.
“While cataracts can cause some vision impairment, dogs are often able to adapt to changes in their vision and continue to enjoy a good quality of life. They may rely more heavily on their other senses, such as their sense of smell and hearing, to navigate their environment,” says Dr Paul Adams, director of Knutsford Veterinary Surgery.
As cataracts progress, your dog’s vision may get worse over time. This can affect their comfort and safety, he adds. “For example, dogs with mature cataracts may become disoriented or have trouble recognising familiar people or objects.”
In that case, your vet may recommend surgery to prevent further vision loss and improve your dog’s quality of life.
How To Spot Cataracts In Dogs
The symptoms of cataracts tend to progress slowly over a few years. Still, as a pet parent, you may notice a few tell-tale signs early on—in some cases, when your dog is still a puppy.
Getting into the habit of examining your dog’s eye at home can help you catch cataracts sooner—and get timely treatment for your dog.
According to Dr Doug Mader, author and triple board-certified veterinary specialist, the first change is usually a cloudy appearance in the centre of your dog’s eye. Usually, this clouding will start small and then spread to cover a larger area.
One or both eyes may be clouded, according to Dr Adams, and one eye may seem cloudier than the other.
As cataracts progress, the eye may appear swollen, bloodshot, and larger than normal.
Other signs of cataracts
You may also notice:
- Changes in your dog’s eye colour, like a blue or grey tint
- Your dog bumps into objects, becomes disoriented, or seems to have trouble seeing clearly
- Signs of eye discomfort or irritation, like frequent blinking or pawing at their eyes
- Changes in behaviour, including sticking close to you and hesitating to play or explore new environments
If you notice any changes in your dog’s eyes or behaviour, making an appointment with your vet is always a good next step. They can confirm cataracts or rule out other health conditions that resemble cataracts, including:
- Nuclear sclerosis: this age-related change in the lens can cause a bluish-grey haze in the centre of the eye, but it doesn’t cause any serious vision problems.
- Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA): this inherited disease can cause gradual vision loss over time. It typically affects both eyes and may progress at a different rate than cataracts.
- Corneal disease: corneal dystrophy or ulceration can also cause a cloudy appearance in the eye, but these conditions affect the cornea, not the lens of the eye.
Stages Of Cataracts In Dogs
Dr Robinson explains that cataracts in dogs have five stages:
- Incipient: a small part of the lens has become opaque, or clouded, but vision remains mostly unaffected.
- Immature: cloudiness has reached most of the lens, affecting your dog’s vision. Your vet may recommend surgery at this stage.
- Mature: the lens is completely opaque, so your dog will have little or no vision in that eye. Treatment generally has the best outcome and the lowest risk of complications before cataracts reach the mature stage, according to Dr Robinson.
- Hypermature: the cataract starts to ‘liquify’ and the lens begins to resorb, which reduces the size of the lens. As long as there’s no inflammation, your dog may regain some of their vision.
- Morgangian: the entire cortex of the lens has resorbed and the only portion that remains is the nucleus of the lens. The nucleus may sink to the bottom of the capsule when the entire cortex is resorbed.
What Causes Cataracts in Dogs?
A number of factors can contribute to cataracts in dogs, including:
Genetics
Most canine cataracts develop due to your dog’s genetics. In other words, they inherited a gene linked to cataracts from their parents. Inherited cataracts, also called juvenile or developmental cataracts, may begin forming when your puppy is just eight weeks old. They can progress to the mature stage by the time your dog has reached the age of three.
Dogs can also inherit congenital cataracts, which are present at birth.
Diabetes
Diabetes, which affects about 1 in 300 dogs, can also cause cataracts. Between 75%-80% of dogs with diabetes will develop cataracts within 12 months.
These cataracts develop due to excess blood sugar (glucose) within the lens. As glucose is converted to sorbitol, it draws water into the lens, causing the lens to swell. The resulting stress and disruption to the lens fibres lead to cataracts.
Since diabetic cataracts tend to form rapidly, they can cause severe inflammation (lens-induced uveitis). This inflammation may lead to glaucoma.
Old age
In some cases, dogs may develop cataracts as they grow older. Age-related cataracts may show up in small-breed dogs around the age of 10, and in large-breed dogs around the age of six.
Age-related cataracts tend to develop slowly over a period of months, or even years.
Other causes
Cataracts may also develop in dogs due to:
- nutritional deficiencies in early life
- exposure to toxins
- trauma to the eye
- eye diseases like chronic uveitis, glaucoma, and retinal degeneration
Unlike with humans, eye colour doesn’t seem linked to cataracts in dogs.
Which Dog Breeds Are Most Likely To Get Cataracts?
According to a study considering all dogs with cataracts treated at North American veterinary teaching hospitals over a period of 40 years, cataracts are more common among certain breeds.
| Breed | Prevalence of cataracts |
| Smooth Fox Terrier | 11.70% |
| Havanese | 11.57% |
| Bichon Frise | 11.45% |
| Boston Terrier | 11.11% |
| Miniature Poodle | 10.79% |
| Silky Terrier | 10.29% |
| Toy Poodle | 10.21% |
To contrast, only 1.61% of mixed-breed dogs included in the study had cataracts. Researchers also noted five breeds had the most dogs with cataracts: Boston Terriers, Miniature Poodles, American Cocker Spaniels, Standard Poodles, and Miniature Schnauzers.
Do Dogs Need Cataract Surgery?
“If you suspect your dog may have cataracts, it’s important to have them evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible,” Dr Adams says, adding that your vet may recommend a veterinary ophthalmologist for more complex cases.
In some cases, congenital cataracts can reduce in size as the lens grows. This means your dog may not completely lose their vision. Atropine eye drops can also improve your dog’s vision if they have immature cataracts located in the centre of the eye.
Many dogs adapt well to the vision loss caused by cataracts, but some dogs do experience complications, including:
- infection
- glaucoma
- lens luxation
- inflammation
- retinal detachment
In these cases, your dog may need additional treatments, like medication or eye drops.
But surgery is the only definitive treatment for cataracts. Cataract surgery can greatly improve your dog’s chances of keeping some of their vision and lower the risk of complications.
Is cataract surgery always an option?
Your vet will always consider your dog’s overall quality of life before recommending surgery. In some cases, your vet may recommend against it. For instance, surgery may pose an unnecessary risk for a dog with one affected eye and one good eye.
Dr Robinson offers some additional reasons why your vet may suggest waiting on surgery.
- Poor overall health: dogs with underlying medical conditions, like heart disease or kidney failure, may not do well under anaesthesia.
- Advanced age: older dogs often have a higher risk of anaesthesia-related complications, and the possible risks of surgery may outweigh the benefits.
- Severe eye disease: if your dog has severe eye disease, like glaucoma or retinal detachment, surgery may not fully restore their vision.
- Aggressive or anxious behaviour: more aggressive or highly anxious dogs may not tolerate the eye drops and medication needed during post-operative care. They may also be more likely to injure themselves.
- Financial constraints: cataract surgery and the necessary follow-up care are fairly expensive, and not all pet parents can afford it.
Does pet insurance cover cataract surgery?
Cataract surgery can cost up to £6000. Your pet insurance may cover the surgery as an elective procedure, with some exceptions.
“Almost all pet insurance companies have policies that will cover cataract surgery,” Dr Mader says. But if your dog already has cataracts when you purchase the policy, insurance likely won’t cover the surgery.
If you’d like to use your pet insurance to cover cataract surgery, you can check your insurance documents and confirm with the insurance company that your policy will cover the procedure.
What Does Cataract Surgery Involve?
Cataract surgery (phacoemulsification) removes the cataract to help restore your dog’s vision and prevent complications like inflammation and glaucoma, according to Dr Adams, who emphasises that choosing to have surgery earlier—before the cataract has advanced—will likely lead to better outcomes for your dog.
“The procedure, in the hands of an experienced ophthalmic surgeon, is quick and very safe,” Dr Mader says.
It involves the following steps:
- Your dog will receive anaesthesia
- The surgeon will make a small cut in the cornea
- They will create a round hole in the lens capsule
- They’ll place an instrument around the size of a pen into this hole
- This instrument creates ultrasonic vibrations that break up the fibres of the lens and remove these from the eye
- The surgeon will typically implant an artificial lens into the eye
- They will close the cut in the cornea with small, dissolvable stitches
Possible complications of cataract surgery
As long as your dog is a good candidate for anaesthesia, cataract surgery is fairly safe. That said, it does come with a few potential risks and complications, Dr Adams says, including:
- infection
- bleeding
- retinal detachment
- anaesthesia-related complications (may include vomiting, slow recovery, and swelling at the injection site and, in some cases, severe complications like stroke or cardiac arrest)
Following all of your vet’s instructions for post-operative care can help lower the chance of complications.
Life After Cataract Surgery for Dogs
Cataract surgery is complex and will require plenty of aftercare during the first few weeks of your dog’s recovery.
Dr Adams outlines the post-operative care instructions you might receive:
- Use prescribed medication. Your veterinarian will prescribe medication, like anti-inflammatory eye drops, to help manage pain and prevent infection. Follow the dosage instructions carefully, and make sure to complete the entire course of medication.
- Avoid activities that may harm the eye. Your dog shouldn’t run, jump, or engage in any strenuous activity for a few weeks after surgery. Keeping an Elizabethan collar or other protective device on your dog can help prevent them from rubbing or scratching at their eyes.
- Keep the eye clean and dry. Your vet may prescribe a saline solution to help keep your dog’s eye clean. Avoid getting water or soap in the eye, since this can increase the risk of infection.
- Attend follow-up appointments. It’s important to follow up with your vet so they can monitor the healing process and check your dog’s vision.
- Observe your dog for any signs of complications. If you notice things like eye redness, swelling, and discharge—or changes in your dog’s behaviour—contact your veterinarian immediately.
The thought of surgery and the lengthy healing process may seem a little overwhelming but know there’s a very good chance surgery will improve your dog’s vision. Dr Mader says it’s 90%-95% successful when cataracts are caught in time.
And of course, the recovery period may offer plenty of opportunities to cuddle and bond with your dog. For instance, you might decide to treat them to some new toys for gentle post-surgery play!
